On hot sunny days, you need a beer that’s light, thirst-quenching, and not too boozy. It doesn’t have to be a pale lager or a cream ale: Sometimes the refresher you crave is a fruity sour, a tropical hop bomb, or even an easy-drinking American porter. Massachusetts breweries have plenty of crushable beers cold and ready for you this summer. Whether you’re heading for the beach, the trails, or just doing yard work, here’s how to fill your cooler.
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Northeast
The Long Haul is a session ale perfect for any summer activities. Anonymous Brewing first made it to fundraise for the Ipswich River Watershed Association Paddle-A-Thon, a 30-plus mile paddle along the Ipswich River from Wilmington to Ipswich. The Long Haul gets its refreshing flavors from Lemondrop hops and a touch of honey malt. Find it on draft and in cans to-go at the Rowley taproom and in local stores and area restaurants. Let’s go!
Chill is a clean and crisp answer to a question Bent Water is often asked: “What’s the lightest beer you have?” The brewers’ favorite at an easy-drinking 4.2%, this approachable American light lager is appreciated by anyone who wants a beer that tastes like beer. Find it on draft at the Lynn taproom and in cans to-go and in local stores and area restaurants. Let’s go!
617 White Ale finishes crisp following bright orange and citrus flavors, balanced out by a slight bitterness. The 5%, medium-bodied unfiltered wheat beer is crafted with Bostonians in mind—for hot summer days at the ballpark or around a cozy fire on a cold New England night. Find it on draft and in cans to-go at Lord Hobo’s taprooms and in local stores and area restaurants. Let’s go!
Get a taste of Summer, an all-Amarillo hopped pale wheat beer by Navigation Brewing Co. The 5.4% crushers has flavor notes of orange and lemon peel. Find it on draft at the Lowell taproom and in cans to-go. Let’s go!
Coast to Coast is an American summer IPA brewed with pilsner malt and flaked oats for a soft mouthfeel. At 5.8%, Citra, Strata, and Talus hops provide big flavors and aromas of tropical citrus, passion fruit, strawberry, and pink grapefruit. Find it on draft at the Ipswich taproom and in cans to-go and in local stores and area restaurants. Let’s go!
Metro Boston
Have some adventure fuel from Aeronaut: The Somerville-based brewing company has plenty of crushers on deck for summer. Robot Crush is an award-winning American pilsner. Hopped with Citra, the aromatic offering clocks 5.1% with flavors of biscuit and honey balanced with hints of citrus. Hop Hop & Away is a year-round session hazy cold-steeped with Citra and Mosaic hops (4.6%). (Into the) Citra Galaxy is another 4.6% session IPA with hints of peach and tangerine. Pina Colada IPA is a little boozier at 7.1% but no less summer-friendly, fruited with natural flavors of coconut and pineapple. Speaking of fruit: Tropical Storm on a Sour Planet is for anyone who appreciates tropical flavors. Blood orange, passion fruit, pineapple, papaya, cherry, and black currant swirl together in this 4.9% kettle sour. Find these brews at Aeronaut’s taprooms and beer garden as well as in cans at local stores and restaurants. Let’s go!
A taproom exclusive from Castle Island Brewing Co., Castillo Lime is a light corn lager imbued with lime juice just before packaging. The result is a thirst-quenching 4.5% option with zesty aromas and a memorable citrus flavor that’s perfect for the season. Find it to-go at Castle Island’s Norwood and South Boston taprooms. Let’s go!
Long Live Beerworks has a couple lagers on draft at its new Boston taproom, including the exclusive ROX Pils (5.2%). But the Providence-based beermakers will defy expectations for a summer beer with Youth Revolt, a 6% IPA. Find this upcoming release at the Roxbury taproom and in cans at local stores. Let’s go!
A longtime staple of Boston’s summer beer fridge, Whirlpool is a hazy pale ale that explodes with fruit flavors while staying super easy to drink. Find this brew at Night Shift’s taprooms and beer gardens as well as in cans at local stores and restaurants. Let’s go!
Just a few simple ingredients bring the flavor to Portico’s Two Point Pils: Two malts (Pilsner and Carapils) and two hops (Hallertauer Mittelfrüh and Wakatu). Floral but dry with medium hop bitterness, its refreshing effervescence and lighter body make this German-style pilsner just what you want to reach for on a hot day. Find it at the Somerville taproom and in cans at local stores. Let’s go!
Samuel Adams Summer Ale needs no introduction, but we’ll provide one anyway. The Boston-born brewery’s seasonal favorite is a 5.3% American wheat ale that’s crisp easy-drinking with a citrus blend and a hint of pepper from West African grains of paradise. Find it in Sam’s Boston taprooms in Jamaica Plain and Faneuil Hall and in stores and area restaurants. Let’s go!
Southeast & Cape Cod
A whimsical name befits a traditional German Hefeweizen that gets generous additions of watermelon and boysenberry. Bugle Boys of Company B is the latest release from Rockland’s Article Fifteen. Balanced sweet, juicy fruit and classic wheat malt flavors sing in this 6.5% sunny-day sipper. Find it in the taproom on draft and in cans to-go. Let’s go!
Cape Cod’s first brewery is a year-round destination, but nobody’s surprised the Hyannis spot has plenty of summer crushers on offer. Cape Cod Beach Blonde is a polished golden ale at 4.9% with a hint of toasted malt character and a clean finish. Cape Cod Summer Ale is light and refreshing yet spicy and fruity as a traditional Bavarian Hefeweizen (5.5%). Big Sea Saison has lemony hops and an effervescent, dry, and slightly funky finish. It’s a 6% choice. Shillelagh Irish Pale Ale comprises Irish malts, oats, and 50 pounds of clover honey. Sounds perfect post-yard work! Find all these brews at Cape Cod Beer’s taproom, local stores, and area restaurants. Let’s go!
Independent Fermentations (IndieFerm)
Simple is satisfying in the case of Pilsnerd. IndieFerm’s summer go-to is a delicious beer that just tastes like beer. The year-round offering is light and crisp at 4.5%, making it a quintessentially crushable lawnmower or beach beer. Find it at the Plymouth taproom and at local stores and restaurants. Let’s go!
Get into Leisure Mode with Mayflower’s light, hoppy, and hazy New England IPA (4.5%). Crispy Business is another crushable choice from the Plymouth beermakers. Also 4.5%, it’s a smooth and dry Kölsch-style ale with a delicate and pleasant aroma of apple and pear. Find these bevvies at the taproom, local stores, and restaurants. Let’s go!
A fan- and staff favorite, Seatown Lager is balanced, flavorful, and ultimately crushable with a balanced blend of malts and bright, floral hops. The 4.2% fan- and staff favorite is named in honor of Seattle, where Untold founder Matt Elder began his brewing career; and pays homage to the ocean. Find it at the Scituate taproom, local stores, and restaurants. Let’s go!
Metrowest
Brewed with Maine malts, oats, and Merrimack Valley wildflower honey (plus European hops and lemon peel), Farm Road is a 4.5% saison perfect for any table set for summer in New England. Find it on draft at the Maynard taproom and in cans to-go and in local stores and area restaurants. Let’s go!
Goody Two Shoes Kölsch is what to reach for when a trip to Germany isn’t in the cards. Exhibit A's authentic tribute to Cologne, the city where the style originated, is crisp and clean. The 4.5% flagship brew is lightly lemony with fresh-baked flavors followed by a dry finish. Find it on draft at the Framingham taproom and in cans to-go and in local stores and area restaurants. Let’s go!
Lost Shoe Brewing & Roasting Company
Crisp and crushable Lost Shoe Light is a 4% American light lager brewed with barley, rice, water, and hops. It’s a taproom exclusive from Lost Shoe Brewing, on tap in Marlborough and available in cans to-go. Let’s go!
This summer may lack the Olympics, but you can still support a gold medalist: Medusa’s Duchovni: Czech-style Pilsner earned that honor at the 2016 World Beer Cup. Bubbly with a clean, dry finish, it’s a crushable 5.2%. For something a little different, quaff the bright citrus flavors of Rapid Refresh: American Wheat Ale with Lemon & Orange Peel (4.6%). Find both brews at the Hudson taproom and beer garden and in local stores and restaurants. Let’s go!
The summer crusher in Start Line Brewing’s Hop Load IPA series is evocatively named: Hazy Smalls is a juicy session ale that crosses the finish at just 4.5%. Find it on draft at the Hopkinton taproom and in cans to-go and in local stores and area restaurants. Let’s go!
Central
Unselfishly, Altruist Brewing Co. has a few crushable beers on offer this summer. The aptly named Crush It cream ale is light-bodied and easy-drinking at 4.2%. Passion Gose is slightly tart and very refreshing at 4.5%, with notes of passion fruit, guava, coriander, and a touch of pink Himalayan sea salt. Komisch German Style Kolsch is crisp, delicate, and oh-so drinkable at just 4.2%. Find them all at the Sturbridge taproom. Let’s go!
To celebrate its new location in Winchendon, Bull Spit brewed Toy Town Pilsner, a 4% refresher that’s also light on the wallet. Named for the bygone local industry, Toy Town isn’t for kids—but rather, the folks keeping them entertained all summer. Find it on draft and in cans to-go from the Winchendon taproom. Let’s go!
Dirigible Brewing Company
Auxiliary Tank is a ~2.4% (!!) American table beer that starts with nearly all local malt and hops and gets taproom-only variations like lemongrass. Kettle sours like Blue Sky Balloon, made with more than two pounds per barrel of blueberry puree, also keep things super sessionable at 3.45%. Canned beers are new to Dirigible’s summer lineup, too: For crushers, try Automaton, a traditional Bohemian pilsner; and the easy-drinking 5% American Porter. Find it all at the Littleton taproom. Let’s go!
Milk Room Brewing Co.
Chasing Rabbits: Lola's Lager is named after Milk Room’s beloved farm dog, Lola. The crisp, crushable, 4.2% American light lager is just perfect for the dog days of summer. Find it on draft at the Rutland farm-taproom and in cans to-go from local stores. Let’s go!
Even bad-weather days are grand with Rainy Day Fund Cloudberry Blonde Ale. A traditional blonde ale with just the right balance of sweet and tart from the cloudberry make it a perfect summer beer. Find it on draft at the Millbury taproom and in local stores and restaurants. Let’s go!
Notes of toasted coconut and just enough malty sweetness combine in The One With The Coconuts, a 5% coconut cream ale from Redemption Rock. It’s crisp, light, and ready for the beach. Find it at the Worcester taproom as well as at local stores and restaurants. Let’s go!
Sterling Summer Ale gets a summery jolt from lemon and orange peel. This satisfying crusher lands at 5.1% and is available from the taproom, local stores, and restaurants. Let’s go!
Wormtown’s refreshing Summer Ale evokes bright flavors of pineapple, juicy mango, and ripe strawberries with a bouquet of vibrant hops. Find the 4.8% crusher at the Worcester and Foxboro taprooms and at local stores and restaurants. Let’s go!
Western Mass. & the Berkshires
The addition of real lemon juice makes Summer Shandy an especially refreshing wheat ale. Abandoned Building’s crushable blend is 4.6%. Find it at the Easthampton taproom as well as local stores. Let’s go!
Pouring bright magenta, Purple Potion is tangy and revivifying. The 5% brew delivers ripe raspberry and blackberry flavors under lavender aromas. Find it at the Greenfield taproom and local stores. Let’s go!
The Brewery at Four Star Farms
This summer, the town of Northfield turns 350. That calls for a celebration! Happy Birthday Northfield! Is just that, a 5% pale lager brewed with 100% homegrown barley and hops. Crush it: $1 from every taproom pour goes directly to the Northfield 350th committee to help support activities and celebrations throughout the anniversary year. Find this local beer only at Four Star Farms’ Northfield taproom. Let’s go!
Is it OJ or IPA? It’s Noon Juice Session NEIPA, a full-bodied beer that’s only 3.9%. An abundance of hops will wake you right up. Cape Time NEIPA is another summer crusher from Progression Brewing. It’s a smooth 5.2% with melon, berry, and pineap[ple notes that are very refreshing. Find both beers at the Northampton taproom as well as at local stores and restaurants. Let’s go!
Clarity is a clean and refreshing experience—and it’s also a 5% pilsner brewed by Vanished Valley for your crushing pleasure. Find it at the Ludlow taproom. Let’s go!